X-ray Crystallography Technology And Structural Biology History And Current Status

X-ray crystallography is a tool for people to understand the world of atoms. Through this technology, people have acquired many important biological structures.

In 1914, the German scientist Max von Laue received the Nobel Prize in physics for discovering X-ray diffraction in crystals. This discovery directly gave rise to X-ray crystallography. Since then, researchers have used this diffraction technique to analyze the crystal structure of a large number of complex molecules, from simple minerals, high-tech materials (such as graphene), to biological structures such as viruses.

Since the structure of myoglobin was established in 1957, X-ray crystallography has become an important tool for structural biology, and it continues to reveal the mysteries of life. This technology not only enhanced our understanding of cells, but also greatly promoted the development of modern medicine.